Business Manchester

LIL’ MONSTER’S BALL AT HARD ROCK CAFE® MANCHESTER – IT’LL BE FA-BOO-LOUS

Hospitality

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13/10/2022

Trick or treat the family with a trip to the Lil’ Monster’s Ball at Hard Rock Cafe Manchester this Halloween to lift their spirits.

Hard Rock Cafe Manchester are celebrating all things spooky this Halloween with a spook-tastic unlimited all-American breakfast buffet for all the family. Head on over to the restaurant on Sunday October 30th between 9am-11am for plenty of treats (no tricks) and family fun. Arrive dressed as the wickedest witch or the hungriest vampire anyone ever did see – and that includes parents too; creepy costumes are complete with face painting at the restaurant. There’ll be plenty of wicked games to play after fueling your morning with a whole load of delicious breakfast goodies; to fully immerse the little ones in the spooky event, the restaurant will be decorated in all things Halloween.

Adult tickets are £15.95 and children tickets are just £10.95, this includes the breakfast buffet and fun-filled entertainment – kids under the age of two go free.

To book tickets, visit https://printworks-manchester.com/events/lil-monsters-ball-at-hard-rock-cafe/

168 box trailers added to Evri’s fleet

News Desk

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13/10/2022

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Tiger Trailers has begun delivering 168 new articulated box vans to Evri, the biggest dedicated parcel carrier in the UK and the new name for Hermes. This comes just in time to support the opening of its largest delivery hub in Europe.

Tiger’s sales, design and engineering teams worked closely with Evri to ensure that its new 4.6-metre-high box van trailers are manufactured to bespoke specifications and a high quality, as the delivery company gears up to sort up to 3 million parcels every day going into peak season.

David Landy, Evri’s Head of Fleet, comments: “It has been great to work with the Tiger Team again and see our initial discussions around specification to become realised. This will ensure that our ‘in service’ is simplified in order to maintain the trailers more quickly and efficiently. It was imperative that Specification, Quality and Delivery were all met and the team at Tiger have delivered on all fronts.”

The trailers are of straight-frame design and incorporate various Tiger specific design components for strength and durability, including the integration of buffers within the rear frame assembly that complement the need for a roller shutter door. To keep business and domestic customers’ parcels secure in transit between Evri distribution centres, a two-row, surface-mounted load securing system is fitted internally, along with a rear net and lashing rings. The rear frame has been designed with an integral gutter for improved run-off of water.

Evri’s striking new trailer liveries can be seen on the operator’s new Tiger-built dry-freight box vans, apportioned into subtly different design variations, with GK Signs working alongside the Cheshire manufacturer’s own fitters in applying each trailer’s full wrap.

Tiger manufactured 200 twin-axle box van trailers for Hermes in 2015, and the two companies share a focus on environmental sustainability by means of solar panels and tree-planting, along with job creation for their local areas. Evri has added 70 compressed natural gas Iveco trucks to its fleet over the last twelve months, with Tiger manufacturing skeletal and other specialist trailers for the parcel firm’s CNG supplier.

Darren Holland, Tiger Trailers’ Sales Director, remarks: “Working alongside David and the Evri team has been great and we are really pleased with the finished product. The fact that we can offer a full package has meant that we have designed, manufactured and also provided the leasing for these trailers via Tiger Finance.”

Evri will have received all 168 of its new Tiger Trailers box vans in time for the UK’s Black Friday retail period before it then continues to serve its customers throughout Christmas and beyond, and Ambassador Motor Company has provided Tiger with logistical support in making deliveries into the operator’s new Barnsley superhub called Colossus.

Jargon PR Welcomes Vivian Kelly to Strengthen Its US Presence

Appointments

News Desk

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13/10/2022

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Jargon PR, an international B2B Public Relations agency, has today announced that it has begun strengthening its US presence through the appointment of Vivian Kelly as ‘Head of US Strategy’.

Jargon PR has significantly grown its clientele over the past 12 months, with a consistent client win rate. With this growth, the agency has expanded its international presence, resulting in a need to solidify its US position.

Vivian makes the perfect new appointment to take on this venture for Jargon PR. Originally from the UK, Vivian moved to Washington DC in 1992 and has since built an established PR career, having run her own strategic communications company for the past 25 years. Vivian has served a global arsenal of B2B technology innovators, offering specialised services that help build strong brands. In addition, she has unmatched experience and expertise in digital advertising, social media management, content development and curation, and digital design.

Joining the Jargon PR team, Vivian will play a vital part in not only nurturing the relationships of the agency’s current US-based clients and campaigns, but will also be responsible in adding to its portfolio of partnerships throughout the region by providing high-quality consultancy and strategic services.

Kevin Winfield, Associate Director of Jargon PR, commented: “We are delighted to welcome Vivian to our fast growing team. As a UK headquartered company with a rapidly growing portfolio of US clients, it is extremely important for us to have a team on–the-ground in the US. Based on the East Coast, Vivian is perfectly positioned to help our clients take US campaigns to the next level.’’

Discussing her recent appointment, Vivian said: “I’m excited to be working with Jargon PR and already have plans in place to ensure the agency will strengthen its presence throughout the US. Jargon PR has established an impressive client portfolio in the region already, so I’m looking forward to working with the agency as it continues to grow.”

This adds to Jargon PR’s expansion over the past few months, having recently expanded to the UAE and welcoming a number of new employees.

New study Ranks Manchester third as the best place outside London for a finance career

Finance

News Desk

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13/10/2022

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Edinburgh, Birmingham and Manchester offer the next best opportunities for a career in finance after London
Surprisingly banker-friendly places include Trafford, Milton Keynes, Stockport, Solihull, Elmbridge, and Windsor and Maidenhead
Some of the most disappointing districts for finance job prospects are Cornwall, Bradford and Wiltshire

London may be the country’s banking hub, yet there are 15 places across the UK and several unexpectedly finance-friendly towns that offer surprisingly good career prospects.

A new study found that Edinburgh, Birmingham and Manchester offer the next best opportunities for a career in finance after London. Meanwhile, big districts like Cornwall, Bradford and Wiltshire disappoint in terms of pursuing a finance career, barely competing with much smaller places, like Stockport, Solihull, Elmbridge, and Windsor and Maidenhead.

The research, carried out by UK trading company CMC Markets, analysed the latest data from the Office for National Statistics, published in March 2022, for finance enterprises in 342 UK districts, excluding London, and the latest available population statistics. It found that 63% of British firms offering financial services alone, excluding insurance and pension funding, are located outside London.

Edinburgh tops the list for best places outside London for a career in finance, with around 310 firms and 527,620 residents calling it their home. It is also the only other place outside London that hosts large firms with over a thousand employees each. With a population of 1,144,900, Birmingham ranks second for finance enterprises, with around 265 firms located here, although none hire more than 250 staff.

Surprisingly, although Leeds is the third biggest city in the UK, it is outrun by Manchester, which hosts around 265 finance firms – 15 more than Leeds. In fact, Manchester has more medium to large finance companies than Leeds, despite having 32% less residents.

The wildcards of the ranking include Trafford, Milton Keynes, Stockport, Solihull, Elmbridge, and Windsor and Maidenhead. With relatively small populations of just 235,100 and 287,000 respectively, Trafford and Milton Keynes make the top 15 places outside London for a career in finance, with 130 and 110 specialised firms located here. This positions them ahead of much more populous districts like Bradford (546,400 residents and 95 finance firms), Wiltshire (510,400 residents and 85 finance firms) and Cornwall (570,300 residents and 80 finance firms).

Stockport, Solihull, Elmbridge, and Windsor and Maidenhead are four more honourable mentions. While much bigger cities may host more micro and small finance firms, counting up to 49 employees, Stockport and Solihull stand out for the number of firms that are classed as medium (up to 249 employees) or large (over 250 workers). Meanwhile, Elmbridge and the district of Windsor and Maidenhead beat the odds and, despite populations of just 138,800 and 153,500, respectively, they each host around 80 finance firms, placing them at #24 and #25 nationally.

At the other extremity, with zero to two registered firms offering financial services, are Argyll and Bute, Clackmannanshire, Na h-Eileanan Siar, Orkney Islands, Shetland Islands and the Isles of Scilly.

Michael Hewson, Chief Market Analyst at CMC Markets commented on the findings: “We were pleased to find out that these finance-friendly places are not necessarily the most populous cities in the UK. London is extremely competitive and the lifestyle is not everyone’s cup of tea, so it is refreshing to know where the best places to pursue a career in finance are that are way off the beaten path.

“Take Elmbridge and the district of Windsor and Maidenhead, for instance. They are both home to a significantly larger proportion of high earners, creating a striking demand for financial services, compared to other places in the UK. Their proximity to London makes them ideal for financial advisors looking to offer a more curated yet competitive approach.”

Here are the top 15 best places outside London for a career in finance, according to the CMC Markets research:

#	District / Unit	Number of finance firms (≈)	Population
1	Edinburgh	310	527,620
2	Birmingham	265	1,144,900
3	Manchester	265	552,000
4	Leeds	240	812,000
5	Buckinghamshire	170	553,100
6	Glasgow	155	635,640
7	Cheshire East	150	398,800
8	Belfast	150	342,560
9	Trafford	130	235,100
10	Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole	120	400,300
11	Bristol	120	472,400
12	Milton Keynes	110	287,000
13	Nottingham	105	323,700
14	West Northamptonshire	100	425,700
15	Sheffield	100	556,500

Data source: ONS, as analysed by CMC Markets

Cheshire restaurant Next Door turns off power to protest soaring energy bills

Business support

News Desk

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13/10/2022

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Next Door, a Michelin-guide restaurant in Cheshire, is protesting the impact of spiralling energy costs on the hospitality sector by opening without using electricity or gas.

The ‘Back to Basics’ event will take place on Wednesday 19^th October and will feature a nine-course tasting menu, with no gas or electricity being used on the evening or in the preparation of the dishes.

“We’ll be cooking solely on charcoal, using no refrigeration, no technology, all by candlelight!” said Head Chef and co-owner Richard Nuttall, “we are 100% committed to zero power, even in the preparation of the courses. It’s pushing us well out of our comfort zones to operate like this and keep up our usual high standards.

“Our suppliers have been incredibly supportive of our ambition and are delivering fresh goods immediately before they are due to cook due to the lack of cold storage”

The move comes after accountancy firm UHY Hacker Young reported a 64% increase in the number of restaurant insolvencies this year compared to last, with more than 1,400 premises permanently closing.

The Frodsham restaurant has built a reputation as one of Cheshire’s best rated fine dining destinations. But a perfect storm of rising inflation, the cost-of-living crisis and soaring energy costs is creating a huge challenge for the business.

Whilst the Government has stepped in to help with a scheme to push down energy costs for businesses, the support will only last until March 2023 and bills remain far in excess of their previous level.

“This event is a bold statement of independence and defiance against the ever-tightening constraints faced by our sector,” said Sommelier and co-owner Vicki Nuttall.

“We’ve already watched some of our favourite restaurants and pubs forced to close their doors, despite being busy – this is our way of showing that this isn’t acceptable.”

The one-off evening has been months in the making, with every single element carefully considered to ensure that quality is maintained at all times:

“Planning the evening has really made us appreciate just how much we rely on technology in all aspects of the business, from the cookery through to drinks pairing and facilities, it all becomes a challenge,” added Vicki.

From a drinks perspective, we’ve chosen wines which will work well at higher average temperatures, our arrival cocktail developed with the help of Three Wrens Gin is a warm apple punch! We’re cold brewing our coffee and serving herbal teas from the fire to finish”

Customers are being invited to leave behind their modern-day comforts for the evening, as they go ‘off-grid’ in the restaurant’s 17^th century building. They will dine by candlelight with live instrumentals, no electronics, no heating, no card payments, and definitely no Wi-Fi!

Richard Nuttall and his team of chefs look forward to rising to the occasion and delivering a night to remember, “we plan to serve a menu of manual skill and raw innovation combined with age old techniques such as smoking, curing, fermentation with the freshest ingredients.”

Vicki Nuttall concluded: “this is a light-hearted way to make a serious point about our industry.”

Find out more about the restaurant at: https://www.restaurantnextdoor.co.uk/

SUN-Air and British Airways resume flights to Billund, Denmark from Manchester’

Travel

News Desk

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13/10/2022

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Danish airline SUN-AIR has announced that its flights from Manchester to Billund, operated on behalf of British Airways, will resume from 31 October.

After a break of more than two years, the route will resume five times a week flown on SUN-AIR’s Dornier 328 Jet aircraft. Flights will operate on Monday mornings and in the evenings of the remaining weekdays.

Prior to the pandemic, the service operated for over two decades and carried more than 460,000 passengers from Manchester to Billund. The Danish city is popular with business travellers as a gateway to the wider Jutland region and is most famous as the home of Lego – the original Legoland theme park and factory are a short distance from the airport.

SUN-AIR has been a franchise partner of British Airways since 1996. It independently operates flights on aircraft bearing British Airways’ livery.

The airline suspended its scheduled flights in March 2020 but resumed in September 2022 with the reintroduction of flights between Billund and London City Airport, and will now restart its Manchester service.

Niels Sundberg, CEO of SUN-AIR, said: “We are incredibly pleased to restart this route from Billund and offer our passengers a direct connection to Manchester with our well-known full-service product on behalf of British Airways. We’ll monitor the route closely and will look to increase frequency if we achieve the support on this service that we saw pre-pandemic.”

Chris Fordyce, Head of Alliances at British Airways, said: “As the aviation industry continues to recover from the pandemic, it’s really encouraging to see SUN-AIR restarting routes that have been on hold. This route will offer even greater connectivity between Denmark and the UK, and we look forward to seeing its popularity return.”

Manchester Airport Managing Director, Chris Woodroofe, added: “We are delighted to see SUN-AIR and British Airways resuming flights to Billund. This is a very successful, long-standing service, which plays a crucial role in connecting more than 22 million people in our wider catchment area with six million people in mainland Denmark. I am sure that it will prove to be just as popular as it was prior to the pandemic.”

For more information or bookings, please contact a dedicated travel agency or visit ba.com.

Network Space Developments donates Multi-Use Games Area to community after disused £40,000 kit was included with newly-acquired industrial site

Charity

News Desk

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13/10/2022

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Network Space Developments (NSD) has gifted a Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA) to Manchester City Council after the outdoor games kit was acquired as part of the former Manchester College site on Welcomb Street.

The Openshaw site comprises of eight buildings of varying sizes which were previously used as classrooms and workshops by the Manchester School of Building. The MUGA, which was in excellent condition and worth circa £40,000, was located externally in the centre of the site for the use of the college students.

With plans underway to redevelop the site to deliver a new circa 70,000 sq. ft multi-let industrial estate, the high-spec MUGA was no longer required and was offered to Manchester City Council’s Parks team which readily agreed to take the equipment. NSD also agreed to cover the removal, cleaning and installation costs at its new home at Fog Lane Park.

Fog Lane Park, East Didsbury is one of Manchester’s first public parks and is well used by the local community and beyond. In addition to the new MUGA the park offers an existing MUGA, children’s play area, tennis courts, bowling greens and football pitches.

Joe Burnett, Development Director for Network Space Developments, said: “As part of our sustainability agenda, we are actively looking at opportunities to re-cycle and reuse elements from all our developments. Often this can mean the reuse of existing buildings’ structural frames and floor slabs but also softer elements too. This initiative represented a great opportunity to deliver a big impact through a small gesture and give back to the communities that we work within.

“The partnership with the Manchester Parks team has worked well and we’re delighted that they have been able to find it a new home where it will be enjoyed for many years by the local community.”

“This is a perfect example of the importance of Social Value and Commitment from Companies to Manchester” added Councillor Lee-Ann Igbon, Executive Member for Vibrant Neighbourhoods.”

Initial NSD development plans for the Welcomb Street site look to deliver up to 70,000 sq. ft of multi-let industrial accommodation, as an extension to their existing 175,000 sq. ft City Works site. Work is due to start on site in 2023, subject to securing planning permission later this year.

PRIMARK REVEALS CLICK + COLLECT TRIAL STORES

Retail

News Desk

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13/10/2022

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Primark reveals the 25 stores in the North West of England, South and West Yorkshire and North Wales that will be the first in the UK to offer its new Click + Collect service
The trial launches before the end of the year and for the first time ever gives Primark customers the option to buy online and collect in store on a nominated day
Customers can browse and buy from an extensive Primark kids’ range, which includes new ranges exclusive to Click + Collect

Primark will launch its new Click + Collect service in 25 selected stores located across the North West of England, Yorkshire and North Wales before the end of the year.

The mix of Primark stores taking part in the new trial ranges from large city centre and out-of-town stores to smaller high street locations.

The trial will offer customers the opportunity to shop an extended kids’ range – spanning everything from clothing and accessories, to decorative nursery products and toys – and will also include hundreds of items exclusive to Click + Collect.

The launch will mark the first time that Primark has offered customers the option to buy online and then collect in store. Customers will be able to browse the range online, choose their preferred collection day and then collect from a dedicated collection point at their nominated store.

Kari Rodgers, Primark UK Retail Director, said: “We’re thrilled that customers across North West England, parts of Yorkshire and North Wales, will soon be the first in the country to get the chance to try out our new Click + Collect offer. From launch, they’ll be able to browse and buy from our extensive range of kids clothing and nursery products, from the comfort of their own home, before coming to collect from one of our chosen 25 stores.”

Shoppers across the country can also now visit Primark’s new website – launched in the UK earlier this year – which features thousands of products from the business’ best-selling ranges across men’s, women’s, kids’ and home, and offers customers the option to check item availability in local stores before making a visit.

The 25 Primark stores offering the new Click + Collect service are:

Birkenhead, Grange Road, CH41 6EA
Blackburn, The Mall Blackburn, BB1 7JG
Blackpool, Bank Hey Street, FY1 4RY
Bolton, Crompton Place Shopping, BL1 1EA
Broughton, Broughton Shopping Park, CH4 0DE
Burnley, Charter Walk Shopping Centre, BB11 1BB
Bury, The Rock Shopping Centre, BL9 0ND
Carlisle, English Street, CA3 8NX
Chester, Foregate Street, CH1 1HA
Huddersfield, New Street, HD1 2TR
Lancaster, Marketgate Shopping Centre, LA1 1JF
Liverpool, Church Street, L1 3AY
Llandudno, Parc Llandudno Retail Park, LL30 1PX
Manchester, Market Street, M1 1WA
Manchester, The Trafford Centre, M17 8AS
Oldham, Market Place, OL1 3AB
Preston, Fishergate Shopping Centre, PR1 8HJ
Sheffield, Meadowhall, S9 1ER
Sheffield, The Moor, S1 4PA
Southport, Chapel Street, PR8 1AE
Stockport, Chestergate, SK1 1NT
Wallasey, Cherry Tree Shopping Centre, CH44 5TL
Warrington, Golden Square, WA1 1QB
Wigan, Standishgate, WN1 1UP
Wrexham, Regent Street, LL11 1RY

This news follows the announcement in August that Primark is protecting the prices on more than a thousand essential kids’ products in response to the increasing pressure felt by households up and down the country.

To check whether your Primark store is included in the trial and sign up for updates on when Click + Collect is going live, visit: https://www.primark.com/en-gb/click-and-collect

Warrington Youth Zone now open as Caddick hand over £7m scheme

Charity
News

News Desk

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13/10/2022

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Hundreds of youngsters from across Warrington are now enjoying the social and sports facilities at the new state-of-the-art Youth Zone, recently completed by Caddick Construction.

Construction began on the £7million centre in 2020, on behalf of the national charity OnSide.

Located in the stadium quarter next to the University Technical College (UTC) off Dallam Lane, Warrington Youth Zone boasts an indoor climbing wall, 3G rooftop kick pitch, four court sports hall, dance and drama studio, training kitchen, arts and crafts space, fully equipped gym, music room with recording studio and enterprise suite.

OnSide now has a network of 14 Youth Zones across the country including similar centres in Wigan, Chorley, Bolton, Manchester, Oldham, London and Birkenhead. For just 50p per visit, they offer young people a space to enjoy a wide variety of sports, arts, learn new skills, or just socialise and have support from trained and dedicated youth workers.

Warrington Youth Zone, which has become home to the well-established Warrington Youth Club charity, is now open seven days a week with over 2,000 members registered. More than 20 activities are on offer for up to 250 young people, aged between seven and 19 or up to 25 for those with additional needs, every day.

Adam Poyner, Head of Construction for OnSide, said: “The Youth Zone looks absolutely amazing both inside and out. I would like to thank Caddick Construction for taking our designs and vision to the next level and skilfully brought this building to life.”

David McNicholl, CEO of Warrington Youth Zone, added: “It has been an exciting journey to get Warrington Youth Zone up and running, and to see the young people already in and using the facilities make it all worthwhile. We’ve been open for a few weeks now and to see it packed out every evening really is a dream come true – it’s the building and the place they deserve.

I’d like to thank all our supporters, particularly Warrington Borough Council, who have made this facility possible which will undoubtedly help improve the opportunities and life experiences of young people from across the district.”

Ian Threadgold, Managing Director of Caddick Construction NW, said: “It has been a privilege to work on this project with Onside Youth Zones. Not only is it an eye-catching landmark that has been designed to really make a statement, the facilities are just awesome and will inspire young people to try new activities that just weren’t possible before.

He added: “And this Youth Zone couldn’t have come at a better time for Warrington and its youngsters when so many hard-working families are feeling a real cost of living squeeze.”

The project team consisted of Seven Architecture, HL Engineers, Hurstwood Environmental Consulting and Walker Sime.

SER GROUP LAUNCHES INNOVATIVE EV BATTERY RECYCLING DIVISION

News Desk

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13/10/2022

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New Electric Vehicle (EV) battery recycling facility established in the north-west of England

Manchester-based IT recycling business The SER Group, has launched Cellcycle, a specialist battery recycling division to process and recycle the expected surge in the UK’s end-of-life batteries and manufacturing scrap. Early indications suggest around 350,000 tonnes of expired electric vehicle batteries will be recycled in the UK by 2040*.

Compliance with accreditation benchmarks has already been secured with the company holding both its Approved Battery Exporter (ABE) and Approved Battery Treatment Operator (ABTO) permits, which uniquely places Cellcycle amongst just a handful of fully accredited recycling companies in the UK qualified to treat and recycle end-of-life batteries without the need for expensive exportation.

Cellcycle’s facility will dismantle batteries before the mechanical and chemical separation recycling processes are completed. When fully dismantled and disassembled, there are several applications for the recyclable extracted raw materials – for example, cobalt can be used within the chemical industries, lithium is recycled for rechargeable batteries, copper for electrical wiring, and aluminium for cans and foils.

Cellcycle will offer a truly circular economy solution and is an important first step on the UK’s journey to create an ethical and sustainable supply chain for batteries that will be increasingly necessary when transitioning to a Net Zero future.

Gary Mo, Managing Director the SER Group comments,

“The battery market in the UK is growing exponentially and with the introduction of new legislation, the demand for battery recycling innovation in the UK is rapidly rising. Moreover, we, as a nation, will not reach carbon neutrality without increasing our investment and development of new technologies and recycling opportunities, particularly as the demand for electric vehicles increases, therefore establishing Cellcycle was a priority for us.”

Currently, most companies in the UK export their end-of-life and redundant batteries to Europe, Asia, and other parts of the world for material-level recycling and face heavy transportation costs associated with that service.

Cellcycle will now change that, according to its Battery Division Director, Jeff Borrman.

“We are aiming to provide businesses with a closed-loop battery recycling process directly here in the UK that will not only be cost effective for customers but more sustainable too.

“With a reduction in the requirement to export, transportation costs will be kept to a minimum, but more importantly, recovering valuable materials from a range of different types of batteries like lithium-ion and nickel-metal hydride whilst maintaining a zero-carbon footprint is key to progressing towards compliance with the UK’s Green Agenda.

The valuable materials that are recovered through this process will help provide manufacturers and other businesses within the UK battery supply-chain with the resources to produce new, more sustainable battery technology”